The body of a U.S. Army Ranger from Salinas who was killed in Afghanistan nine days ago returned to the United States to be buried.

Driving through a sea of American flags, 60 motorcyclists escorted the hearse carrying Army Spc. Ricardo Cerros, 24, from Chicago International Airport to the town of Gary, Ind. on Monday.

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Cerros will be buried in Gary, where his mother, Maqueirte D. Cuevas, lives. Cerros moved from Gary to Salinas when he was 5-years-old to live with his father, Ricardo Cerros Sr., and siblings.

Cerros' brother, Marco Cerros, of Salinas, is still serving in the U.S. military as a U.S. Air Force Master Sgt.

On Oct. 8, Cerros died during an intense gun battle in Logar Province in Afghanistan. He was mortally wounded as he fought against enemy insurgents barricaded in a compound.

Cerros was on his first deployment to Afghanistan, and was a rifleman assigned to Company B, 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.

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Cerros was born on Nov. 2, 1986, at Fort Ord.

He graduated from Everett Alvarez High School in Salinas and the University of California, Irvine. Cerros enlisted in the U.S. Army in July 2010.

Cerros could have been anything he wanted in life, Col. Mark W. Odom, commander of the 75th Ranger Regiment, said. Yet, he decided to become a member of the 75th Ranger Regiment. We were blessed to have him in our ranks.

Visitation will be Tuesday at Ridgelawn Funeral Home and funeral services will be on Wednesday at Cathedral of Holy Angels in Gary.